Bridge



(No- Model.

, A. W. BRENNER.

Bridge.

' N0. 24l ,9l9'. Patented May 24. I881.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST W. BRENNER, OF COLEMAN, TEXAS.

BRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 241,919, dated May 24, 1881.

Application filed August 30, 1880. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST WILLIAMBREN- NER, of Coleman, in the county of Cole-man and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Bridges, of which the followingis a specification. 1

The object of my invention is to construc substantial bridges of wood adapted for long spans, and which can be put up-where iron bridges would be-too expensive.

My invention consists in a bridge composed of arches having acentral trussed portion and ends formed as trusses that. support the central portion and sustain the end-thrust; also, in certain details of construction, which are described hereinafter with I reference to the drawings forming part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved bridge, showing the central portion and one end. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 00 w of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a partial plan view at the center portion.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. A

The bridge shown is composed 4 of three arched trusses braced laterally and supporting a superstructure forming the roadway.

The following description of one truss or arch applies to eitherpa-nd the dimensions mentioned are for a span of about three hundred feet. I

The centeris composed of timbers A A, which are in length about one-sixth the length of bridge, and are somewhat larger at their ends toward the abutments than at their abutting ends at the center of the span, which latter are cut square and attached together by an upper plate, a,under plate, b, and side plates, 1), of metal, which are bolted to the timbers.

The end portions of the arch are composed of upper timbers, B B, and lower timbers, O O. Theouter ends oftimbersB G abut against the timber A with a halved joint, and are secured by upper and lower metal plates, 0 d. Theouter ends of timbers B O are connected to timbers B O by plates of g and extend to the pier D. From the center timbers, A, the timbersB G B G spread apart to the pier and are stiffened by struts t and tic-bolts h. The rise of the arch from the pier to the center is about two inches to the foot on a center line. Between the timbers B O is a filling-piece, 6, held in place by the tie-bolts.

The lower plate, b, connecting the center timbers, A, is fitted with a post, k, that is formed at its lower end with flanges, that enter and are pinned to the forked ends of trussrods 1 I, that extend to the plates d, connecting the timbers A (l, to which plates the trussrods are pinned. Through post and plates at b passes a rod, to, provided with nuts above plate a and beneath post 7c. The truss-rods l are provided with turn-buckles, whereby they can be tightened to the proper tension. The struts 2% between the timbers B O are placed at a proper angle to transfer the strain from the center to the piers. Upon these arches the trestle-work superstructure is supported.

As shown in Fig. 2, the center timbers are tied by cross-rods m and diagonal rods n, that extend from the center arch to the upper part of posts 0, that are framed into the side arches. The center arch is provided with similar posts connected with side posts, 0, by diagonal stays 0.

Upon posts 0 rest cross-caps 19, supporting the string'pieces g, which are notched down upon the caps and secured by lag-bolts.

The center timbers, A, are braced transversel y by diagonal braces 1, that abut against metal shoes 2;, that are placed on timbers A. The tie-rods m pass through the shoes '12 and bind the parts together. By this construction the weight is sustained by compressive strain throughout the bridge, and the piers take the cumulative strain from the center to the ends.

A bridge of long span can be built in this manner and the expense of a center pier thus saved.

Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. ln bridges, arched trusses composed of center timbers, A, trussed by rods 1, and end timbers, B B G 0, formed as trusses extending from the centering to the piers, combined in the manner substantially as shown and described.

2. In bridges, the central arched timbers, A, connected at the center by plates to b b and trussed by post 70 and rods 1 from the end timbers of the main arch, as shown and described.

AUGUST WM. BRENNER.

Witnesses A. S. REED, W. H. TAYLOR. 

